ude is 218 deg. 24' W., the
latitude of the north point is 10 deg. 37', and of the east point 10 deg. 42' S.
The land over the east point, and to the southward of it, is rather low,
and as far as the eye can reach, very flat, and of a barren appearance.
To the southward of the Cape the shore forms a large open bay, which I
called _Newcastle Bay_, and in which are some small low islands and
shoals; the land adjacent is also very low, flat, and sandy. The land of
the northern part of the Cape is more hilly, the vallies seem to be well
clothed with wood, and the shore forms some small bays, in which there
appeared to be good anchorage. Close to the eastern point of the Cape
are three small islands, from one of which a small ledge of rocks runs
out into the sea: There is also an island close to the northern point.
The island that forms the streight or channel through which we had
passed, lies about four miles without these, which, except two, are very
small: The southermost is the largest, and much higher than any part of
the main land. On the north-west side of this island there appeared to
be good anchorage, and on shore, vallies that promised both wood and
water. These islands are distinguished in the chart by the name of _York
Isles_. To the southward, and south-east, and even to the eastward and
northward of them, there are several other low islands, rocks, and
shoals: Our depth of water in sailing between them and the main, was
twelve, thirteen, and fourteen fathom.

We stood along the shore to the westward, with a gentle breeze at S.E.
by S., and when we had advanced between three and four miles, we
discovered the land ahead, which, when we first saw it, we took for the
main, to be islands detached from it by several channels: Upon this we
sent away the boats, with proper instructions, to lead us through that
channel which was next the main; but soon after discovering rocks and
shoals in this channel, I made a signal for the boats to go through the
next channel to the northward, which lay between these islands, leaving
some of them between us and the main: The ship followed, and had never
less than five fathom water in the narrowest part of the channel, where
the distance from island to island was about one mile and a half.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, we anchored, being about a mile and a
half, or two miles, within the entrance, in six fathom and a half, with
clear ground: The channel here had begun to widen,